AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHY. 



Iowa Falls, la. 

 Editor Recreation. 



In amateur photography, as well as in real 

 life, I have found that experience is the best 

 teacher. With all due credit to the text books 

 on this subject. I must insist that the ideas 

 and hints that one picks up in following the 

 pleasing pastime s are of more real value than 

 weeks of study of the theoretical side of photog- 

 raphy. I think the majority of the amateurs 

 will agree with me that after the fundamental 

 principles of photography have been well learned, 

 from the study of a good text book, from the 

 pen of one who has "been through the mill," 

 the manipulation of the various ingredients that 

 go to make up the artistic whole, proves the best 

 teacher. After a few months of the ups and 

 downs of an amateur's life he can read appre- 

 ciatingly many of the books and pamphlets on 

 the subject. From my own experience, I found 

 that to read a work on the art was of little bene- 

 fit, as many of the terms and phrases were new 

 to me and I had no idea of their meaning ; but 

 since becoming acquainted with the subject by 

 personal contact, so to speak, I find the numer- 

 ous articles in the periodicals and elsewhere have 

 a double interest, and I can peruse them under- 

 standing^ and with some profii. 



Among the many readers of Recreation, a 

 large number must be interested more or less in 

 the art to which this department is devoted. 

 Of such I would ask reports of their experiences 

 and successes. A department of this character 

 can be made most interesting and the readers of 

 the magazine are asked to contribute or to ask 

 questions that may aid in following the mazes 

 through which a faithful " camera fiend" is led 

 during; the summer season. 



The best grades of plates I find are the cheap- 

 est in the long run. There is a temptation to 

 cut down the cost of supplies ; but let it be in 

 some other direction, for the best work cannot 

 be done with poor materials. The plate is the 

 basis of photography. If there is anything that 

 will cause an amateur to " speak fluently," it is 

 to find that a rare picture is marred by defect in 

 the plate. This may occasion the total loss of a 

 scene that cannot be duplicated, and even if it 

 could the cost is increased at a terrible ratio. 



However few plates you may have, it seems to 

 me that the average amateur cannot afford to do 

 without a drying rack. I have often attempted 

 to dry negatives hastily, but found that they 

 were ruined or injured to such an extent as to 

 mar the beaatv of the picture. A drying rack in 

 a cool, dry place, in the hot weather, produces 

 the best results. A few days ago, I placed a 

 negative in the shade oi t he porch to dry, think- 

 ing the motion of the air, out of doors, would 

 quickly dry the film. When I went to look at 

 it the sun's rays had struck the plate and 

 the negative was ruined. The sun had acted 



upon the film in such a manner as to draw 

 out some of the chemicals, leaving the film 

 punctured with tiny holes. Besides the heat 

 from the sun had caused the film to melt on the 

 edges of the plate, completely obliterating the 

 negative. 



* * * 



For the amateur, without the conveniences of a 

 photographer's studio, I find a good arrange- 

 ment for keeping the toning solution cold dur- 

 ing the hot weather, is to set the toning tray in a 

 dripping pan that is about twice as large as the 

 tray, and in one end place a good sized piece of 

 ice. The ice melting will surround the tray with 

 cold water, thus keeping the tray and toning 

 solution at the desired temperature. I find this 

 superior to putting the ice in the solution itself, 

 for in that case the melting ice gradually 

 weakens the developer. 



* * * 



I have seen, somewhere, a formula for a solu- 

 tion that would prevent films from curling. One 

 ingredient was glycerine. Can any of the readers 

 of Recreation tell me what the others are ? 



Amaturi Photographi. 



Editor Recreation. 



Sidney, Ohio. 



The woodcock photos you so greatly admire 

 are not wholly my own work. The figure being 

 that of the writer. I was compelled to have an 

 assistant make the exposures. This part was 

 performed by a brother — or rather cousin — 

 amateur, Frank Woodmancy, one of your appre- 

 ciative readers. 



I had often observed, when hunting in this 

 locality, this ideal spot for a woodcock scene, 

 and on the day these pictures were made, 

 drove the eight miles solely for the purpose of 

 making them. 



The grounds are not only ideal in appearance, 

 but, in fact, as many fine bags have been made 

 on this and near-by bogs. About sunrise, not 

 many feet from where the pictures were made, 

 a companion killed the first bird of a bag of 37 

 woodcock, this number falling to two guns an 

 hour before noon. 



E. P. Robinson. 



Some of the most remarkable colored slides 

 ever produced are the work of Mr. and Mrs. 

 Van Brunt, celebrated amateur photographers 

 of New York. Their subjects have been 

 chiefly flowers, and they have produced the 

 most wonderful and delicate effects. Mr. and 

 Mrs. Van Brunt have introduced these slides into 

 the teaching of botany with great success. The 

 coloring is done with a photographic retoucher's 

 frame, the painter working by the aid of a watch- 

 maker's microscopic lens. Aniline dyes, in water 

 colors, are used and applied by fine brushes to 

 the photographic film, which has been re-photo- 

 graphed from the original negative on a sheet of 

 glass. 



